When Sam Raimi announces he’s made a new horror movie, that’s an event. Through some of his best movies, starting with the ’80s cult classic The Evil Dead, which kickstarted an iconic horror franchise, he basically invented his own subgenre. He gave us demonic goats in Drag Me to Hell and long ago turned camera movement into a character in its own right. Now, after a 16-year break (and no, Doctor Strange 2 doesn’t count), he’s finally back behind the horror wheel with Send Help. I’m almost ready to throw on my bloodiest party hat...almost. One pretty major detail is keeping me from going full celebration mode, however.
What I’m Excited About
The premise is chef’s kiss. The film follows Rachel McAdams (yes, The Notebook icon) and Dylan O’Brien as coworkers—she’s his underling—stranded on a remote island after a corporate retreat goes sideways. Once they crash, office politics turn full Lord of the Flies, and McAdams seizes control. The trailer, which can be seen lower down, teases the Spider-Man director’s signature style while giving Cast Away meets Misery vibes. If the blood-slick pratfalls and chaotic tone are any clue, we’re headed for something gloriously unhinged. And honestly, that’s precisely the Raimi I want.
The cast alone is reason to get excited. I’ve always been a fan of Rachel McAdams, and lately, it feels like she hasn’t had as much to sink her teeth into as she should. (Especially in the MCU, where Multiverse of Madness completely sidelined her.) So it’s great to see her not only back in a central role, but back in horror. It’s been twenty years since Red Eye (which really holds up), and she looks locked back into that smart, scrappy survival mode.
As for Dylan O’Brien—I’m admittedly not super familiar with the full scope of his work, but he looks delightfully insufferable here. I’m curious to see if Raimi plays the dynamic like a seesaw: getting us to flip loyalties between the timid underling and the awful boss as the story unravels.
But then there’s this tiny horror-friendly gremlin whispering in my ear—and yeah, it’s got me a little worried.
Why I’m More Nervous About Send Help Than I'd Like
The iffiest thing about this project, sight unseen, is the writers. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift are the duo behind Freddy vs. Jason, the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot, and (sigh) the 2017 Baywatch reboot. These guys love a big swing, but their work tends to get… noisy, to put it mildly
Their scripts often chase too many tones at once, without, in my opinion, entirely sticking the landing. Freddy vs. Jason is fun but messy all around, and Friday ‘09 has its moments, but it's more sizzle than steak. And Baywatch? It thought it was 21 Jump Street, but it sank far below sea level.
Which is why Send Help definitely needs as much focus and precision as possible everywhere outside of the script. Balancing cruelty and comedy is something Raimi can almost do in his sleep, but not as successfully if the script’s all over the place.
But I’m Still (Cautiously) All In
I definitely have my hesitations about Send Help, but I’m not writing it off. Far from it. Because if there’s one director who can whip tonal chaos into something coherent and wildly entertaining, it’s Sam Raimi. The guy has made some of the best horror movies of all time, leaning into comedy. His editing brain can rework a scene’s entire vibe with a single jolt-cut or an evil POV cam. If the script stumbles, he can literally spin the camera until it makes sense.
The filmmaker knows how to calibrate actors. McAdams looks like she’s having the time of her life here, playing frantic, capable, and maybe a little unhinged. O’Brien’s no slouch either. And a Single-location horror forces discipline. A stranded island is a narrative pressure cooker, with no room for filler. That’s Raimi’s playground, and I, for one, cannot wait until it lands on the 2026 movie schedule.
Check Out The Send Help Trailer
As seen above, the first trailer for Send Help dropped this week, and it looks like both McAdams and O'Brien spent quite a bit of the shoot covered in fake blood. Good times.
Send Help crashes into theaters on January 30th, 2026.
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